Chapter 15 - (Goodbye, Farewell, Amen)
Not too long after the gang had witnessed Steven having his first bath, the armistice was signed and they were heading home. Even though for some, the home they would be returning to would not be the same.
"Just think Beej, no more mess tent food! No more freezing cold winters, and most important, no more meatball surgery!" Hawkeye was excited to be returning home to his father and wasn't afraid to tell anyone who would listen.
"Yeah Hawk, that's great. But do you realize, I have nothing left in San Francisco. Look what I got in the mail this morning." BJ handed Hawkeye the brown envelope.
"What is it?"
"Peg sent me divorce papers."
"Oh wow. Not the way you wanted to spend the end of the war now is it."
"No, but there is nothing I can do about it now." BJ took back the envelope from Hawkeye and took out the papers. He carefully read it and signed it, much his displeasure.
Meanwhile, everyone had begun to leave camp all were saying their tearful good-byes.
"Well Charles, was nice to have known you and good luck at Boston General."
"Thank you BJ. I hope all goes well for you back in San Francisco."
The two shook hands.
"Margaret, I can't tell you how special you've become to me. The past few months have been difficult, but you helped me through, you made my life more bearable when I was here, 12,000 miles from my problems. I will thank you every day for the rest of my life for that, Margaret. Thank you."
"BJ, give Erin and Steven a great big hug for me. I'm going to miss you and your cheesy mustache." she replied as they embraced.
They finished hugging and BJ moved on to Hawkeye.
"Hawkeye, I don't think I could have made it through the war without you. You are the greatest friend I will ever have."
"Beej, I don't know what to say, but I feel the same. I don't know what I'll do without you."
The two best friends gave each other a brotherly hug and then BJ got on his motorbike and Hawkeye into the chopper. BJ knew that Hawkeye would see his message and rode all the way to Kimpo airport with a smile on his face.
BJ got to Kimpo with an hour to spare before his flight, when a thought came to him.
"What if I were to go to South Carolina and visit Carrie? I can delay going back to San Francisco for a couple of days."
"Excuse me, I would like to change my flight to South Carolina, instead of San Francisco." BJ told the Major running the flights.
"OK, hold it, there buster. You can't just go changing flights. Now unless you have some major reason to go there."
"But I do. You see, my son is there and I haven't seen him yet. Please, you have to let me go there."
"Well, all right. Just take these orders and when you get to Honolulu, give them to the ticket agent. They'll arrange everything from there."
BJ jumped up and kissed the man on the forehead. "Thank you, thank you!" He grabbed his duffel bag and ran out onto the tarmac in order to catch his flight to Hawaii
Not too long after the gang had witnessed Steven having his first bath, the armistice was signed and they were heading home. Even though for some, the home they would be returning to would not be the same.
"Just think Beej, no more mess tent food! No more freezing cold winters, and most important, no more meatball surgery!" Hawkeye was excited to be returning home to his father and wasn't afraid to tell anyone who would listen.
"Yeah Hawk, that's great. But do you realize, I have nothing left in San Francisco. Look what I got in the mail this morning." BJ handed Hawkeye the brown envelope.
"What is it?"
"Peg sent me divorce papers."
"Oh wow. Not the way you wanted to spend the end of the war now is it."
"No, but there is nothing I can do about it now." BJ took back the envelope from Hawkeye and took out the papers. He carefully read it and signed it, much his displeasure.
Meanwhile, everyone had begun to leave camp all were saying their tearful good-byes.
"Well Charles, was nice to have known you and good luck at Boston General."
"Thank you BJ. I hope all goes well for you back in San Francisco."
The two shook hands.
"Margaret, I can't tell you how special you've become to me. The past few months have been difficult, but you helped me through, you made my life more bearable when I was here, 12,000 miles from my problems. I will thank you every day for the rest of my life for that, Margaret. Thank you."
"BJ, give Erin and Steven a great big hug for me. I'm going to miss you and your cheesy mustache." she replied as they embraced.
They finished hugging and BJ moved on to Hawkeye.
"Hawkeye, I don't think I could have made it through the war without you. You are the greatest friend I will ever have."
"Beej, I don't know what to say, but I feel the same. I don't know what I'll do without you."
The two best friends gave each other a brotherly hug and then BJ got on his motorbike and Hawkeye into the chopper. BJ knew that Hawkeye would see his message and rode all the way to Kimpo airport with a smile on his face.
BJ got to Kimpo with an hour to spare before his flight, when a thought came to him.
"What if I were to go to South Carolina and visit Carrie? I can delay going back to San Francisco for a couple of days."
"Excuse me, I would like to change my flight to South Carolina, instead of San Francisco." BJ told the Major running the flights.
"OK, hold it, there buster. You can't just go changing flights. Now unless you have some major reason to go there."
"But I do. You see, my son is there and I haven't seen him yet. Please, you have to let me go there."
"Well, all right. Just take these orders and when you get to Honolulu, give them to the ticket agent. They'll arrange everything from there."
BJ jumped up and kissed the man on the forehead. "Thank you, thank you!" He grabbed his duffel bag and ran out onto the tarmac in order to catch his flight to Hawaii
